Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
Encyclopedia
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth is a grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
community organization
Community organizing
Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community, allowing it to influence...
founded in 1981. Though statewide, KFTC has deep roots in eastern Kentucky where coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
remains the dominant industry. KFTC is a multi-issue organization of working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
families, with a history of working for land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
and environmental justice
Environmental justice
Environmental justice is "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." In the words of Bunyan Bryant,...
.
Joe Szakos
Joe Szakos
Joe Szakos is a community organizer and author. He was coordinator of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth from 1981 to 1993, and has been executive director of the Virginia Organizing Project since 1994.-Early life:...
was one of the founding organizers.
Vision Statement
"We are working for a day when Kentuckians — and all people — enjoy a better quality of life. When the lives of people and communities matter before profits. When our communities have good jobs that support our families without doing damage to the water, air and land. When companies and the wealthy pay their share of taxes and can’t buy elections. When all people have health care, shelter, food, education, clean water and other basic needs. When children are listened to and valued. When discrimination is wiped out of our laws, habits and hearts. And when the voices of ordinary people are heard and respected in our democracy."
External links
- Kentuckians For The Commonwealth - Kentuckians For The Commonwealth website
- Central KY KFTC Website - Local organizing website for the Central Kentucky Chapter of KFTC
- Appalshop - Appalshop, an arts organization in eastern Kentucky, is a partner of KFTC and has online resources addressing coal mining.